This invention relates to a welded wire container of the type used by various industries to store and transport small parts.
Frequently, industries such as the automotive industry, as well as farm implement and appliance industries, finally assemble a finished product, e.g. an automobile, from components which are fabricated at a location remote from the assembly plant. As the various components are manufactured, they are placed in welded wire containers and shipped by truck or rail to the assembly plant. Since these articles are generally metal and therefore quite heavy, the containers must be capable of withstanding heavy loads especially, when the loaded containers are nested one on top of the other. Upon arrival at the assembly plant, the stacked or nested containers are normally unloaded by forklift tractors and taken to storage areas where they are restacked until needed on the assembly line.
Preferably, containers of the type described should be collapsible so as to occupy minimum storage space after the containers have been emptied. Furthermore, to facilitate handling and shipment of the empty collapsed containers, means should be provided whereby the containers are nestable in their collapsed condition as well as when fully erect and loaded with parts.
The prior art discloses welded wire containers exhibiting various configurations. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,808,122, issued to Marshall H. Beckner, discloses a welded wire container having tapered feet which are insertable in corresponding socket plates, thereby rendering the container nestable. It is to be noted that, however, the container disclosed in the Beckner patent is not collapsible and consequently consumes an inordinate amount of space when stored in an empty condition. Although the prior art does disclose other wire welded containers which are collapsible, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 2,733,828 issued to Charles C. Averill and U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,914 issued to Archie T. Williams, these containers are not stackable or nestable within each other when fully collapsed. This deficiency greatly increases the problems associated with storing, handling and transporting the collapsed containers.